Chemistry 

Resources:  

All resources referred to below, which are required for you to complete the tasks, can be  accessed through the following link: 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VkadNEHwXZ_j2PvvFa1q9pjnTfheFVSN?usp=drive_link 

CGP book “Head Start to A Level Chemistry” (which can be purchased from CGP or  Amazon in paperback or on Kindle)  

GCSE Chemistry textbook (via Kerboodle.com) or equivalent separate science chemistry  textbook from whichever course you studied (for external students)  

Activities: 

Task 1 

Open the file ‘AQA GCSE into A level transition.pdf’ 

Read through the first few pages to gain a high level overview of the A level specification which will give you an insight into the topics from your GCSE which are most relevant. 

Complete all the questions in the 16 separate activities in this document (excluding activity  12 on Empirical formulae as this is no longer in some GCSE courses. The activities cover different aspects of the GCSE Chemistry course which will be required for A level including  

some general scientific and maths skills. All questions can be completed with only  ‘Double’ GCSE knowledge and do not assume you have completed a Separate Science course. 

When finished download the file ‘AQA GCSE into A level transition answers.pdf’ and self mark your work, writing in corrections and making sure you understand why these are the answers.  

Task 2 

The basic principles of Chemistry learnt at GCSE are an essential pre-requisite to being  successful at A level Chemistry. You will therefore be tested at the start of your A level course to identify any gaps in your knowledge which will need to be addressed. The test will be based on the AQA double science syllabus, so knowledge of any additional material covered in separate science Chemistry is not required.  

During the summer revisit your GCSE work and ensure your knowledge is secure on the  following topics:  

• Atomic structure  
• Structure and bonding (ionic, metallic, giant covalent, molecular) including  dot-cross diagrams 
• Balancing chemical equations  
• Writing ionic formulae  
• Simple calculations (Mr, calculating moles from masses and vice versa,  %mass, reacting masses, limiting reactants and isotopic masses)  chemical equations for making salts from acids and bases  
• Equilibria  
• Electrolysis including writing half equations  
• Exo- and endo- thermic reactions; bond energy calculations  
• Naming of alkanes; equations for combustion and cracking of alkanes.  

It is strongly recommended that you acquire the CGP book “Head Start to A Level  Chemistry”. This book contains a summary of all these topics plus some additional  material to bridge the gap to A level.  

Work through the book and answer all the questions at the end of each section, then mark  them from the answers at the back.  

We do not assume knowledge of any of the Separate Science course content and any of  this additional material relevant to the A level course will be re-capped as relevant during  the year 12 course. However, any student who has not done this course will inevitably  have more work to learn during year 12 so it would be worth spending the summer starting  to catch this up.  

Key Separate Science topics relevant to the A level are:  

• Calculations - %yield, atom economy, concentrations using moles (not  grams), volumes of gases  
• Titration – the practical process including calculations using the results Basic organic chemistry - names, structures and simple reactions of alkenes,  alcohols and carboxylic acids  
• Addition and condensation polymerisation  
• Identification tests for positive and negative ions 

  

Only study these topics from a GCSE level book – there is more to learn on all of these at  A level and it is not necessary to learn beyond the GCSE syllabus at this stage.  

Work to be submitted to: 

Please bring your completed work to your first lesson in September and be ready to  complete the GCSE knowledge test. 

Any queries contact Miss Hoffman at choffman@stgeorges.herts.sch.uk